Edward cursed. It has been one of those mornings. His fingers were stinging from sewing the canvas of the sails by hand as they wouldn't fit through his sewing machine but thankfully this job was close to being finished. It was due to be on a boat next week that was coming into the harbour.

This was the last sail. The other three were laying rolled up ready to go and Edward was glad to see the back of this job. He walked over to the stove that sat on the corner of the workshop and placed his kettle on top of it. This called for a cup of tea he though. Best have a break. 

He sat down on the chair while the he waited for the kettle to boil. He picked up the local newspaper he bought this morning and began to flick through it. The opening of the door caught his attention and he looked up to see who it was

It was Ellie. Standing in the doorway, her face and hands were spotless per Christine's orders to wash regularly; her hair while tied with a ribbon was still bedeviled by the natural frizziness common to most of the Russell women. Christine's hair cream only did so much.

She wore her 'uniform' lilac dress and new boots with dark stockings. Her longtime homespun shawl wrapped around her shoulders was quite tatty in comparison, but there was sentimental value to it.

She was under orders from Christine to spend time with her family and be a child. Work could wait for a while.

"Aye up, Ed." The growing sound of a bubbling kettle distracted her, while she smelt the smells of home of fish, wet oakam, tea, and lard.

Edward smiled when his sister appeared through the door into his workshop. He was proud of what he had achieved and he knew his family were aswell. The workshop was in a terrible state when he got it but he was able to sort the leaks and get heating in which helped with the canvas work. There was nothing worse that trying to sew with cold fingers and blood was a nightmare to get out of canvas.

He was lucky he had just picked up a job repairing bell tents for the local regiment aswell which ment steady work. This also ment space in his workshop was filled with bagged up bell tents awaiting repair. He had also picked up officers campaign equipment to repair

He smiled to Ellie "hey little sis, kettle just boiled. Would you like a cup of tea. I'm also about to make something to eat if your hungry?"

"A cup'd be lovely. I'm not hungry just yet," she answered. The room was a sea of hardy beige fabric. She gently pulled at a fabric out of curiosity unvieling a wide black arrow-like shape, a makers mark maybe.

"You've bin busy.." She said.

Edward finished making the tea and placed one beside his sister before making himself a sandwich to have with his before sitting back down. He noticed the symbol she was looking at before replying "war department qrrow. Everything you see has come from the army to be repaired. Tents....officers campaign equipment. Anything canvas" he continued "I had to pop out earlier and stopped by your employers bookshop to get some materials and also went to place an advert for an apprentice in the local paper, there's alot of work here now"

He relaxed into the chair and absorbed the heat from the fire for a moment. "So what you been up to?"

Ellie listened to her brother's explanation for the symbol that she had looked at. "Oh interesting." Ellie replied, her tone suggesting only passing interest. She had no love of war, it was just boys with destructive toys. "Oh? If ye were in the shop, ye s'ould 'ave said. I must 'ave been out back." she answered, the two siblings missing each other like fishing boats passing in the fog. He asked after her wellbeing and her activities.

"Well, Miss Christine - sorry, Miss Pennyfeather, keeps me busy enough. Always something to do over there, cleaning somethin', puttin' stuff away. I've even minded the shop on occasion."

Ed nodded "yeah she seemed a decent soul. I can understand why ma was a bit spectacle about you working there but she's a nice woman and seems tge type that would help you" he took a drink from the mug before finishing off a sandwich he had made "not sure. Think you might have been through the back or outside"

He looked over the mountain of canvas and looked to Ellie once more "seems everyone is looking for help these days. Even me" he nodded to the canvas bundles that were piled up "those came yesterday straight from their annual camp awaiting repair. 4 carts full of tents plus other campaign equipment" he then gestured to the otherside of the room where atleast four sets of sails were almost finished "more orders ready to go out"

He leaned forward holding his mug in both hands "im busier than what my journeyman ever was. I can see me expanding even more soon"

Busy was good. If Edward was busy, that meant more money in the Russell family pockets. Good paying jobs like hers, plus his income added security when the fishing nets came up less than full. Her sisters too contributed some too.

"So.." She began sipping her tea, "are ye seein' any girl?" Having recently learned about the facts of life from Anne Ward, Ellie had become interested in people pairing off, but she also didn't want to know if or where her own brother was casting his pole.

Ed continued his tea before speaking "Nope. I've been spending most of my time here at the present trying to get orders out the door" he never really thought about women at this time or for quite some time time since he started working for himself.

He tilted his head "why you ask?"

"Can't a sister ask her brother if he's courtin'? I 'eard men were supposed to marry." Ellie said peering over the rim of her tea mug.